Apparatus for cleaning strip metal



June 11, 1940,.

F. J. WOOD APPARATUS FOR CLEANING STRIP METAL Filed Feb. 25. 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 11, 1940.

F. J. WOOD APPARATUS FOR CLEANING STRIP METAL Filed Feb. 25, 1938 `l5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 11, 1940. F, 1 WQQD Y2,204,168

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING STRIP METAL Filed Feb. 25, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 mental im n, 1940 PATENT oFl-lcE 2,204,168 APPARATUS Fon CLEANING s'ran METAL Frank J. Wood, Riverside, Ill., assigner to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Application February 25, 1938, Serial No. 192,439

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements inv apparatus for cleaning strip metal and more particularly relates to an apparatus for cleaning grease, oil, or other foreign matter from continuous strips of sheet metal by -means of an.

absorbent medium.

Heretofore grease and oil, as well as other medium. Another method of cleaningV is by` l5 running the metal through a box of cleaning medium which is in an agitated condition. One of the disadvantages of this first method of cleaning is that the cleaning medium does not have the same contact with the bottom as the top of the metal and as a result the metal is not uniformly cleaned on all sides. The speed of travel of the metal through the system must also be relatively slow in order that the metal may have the proper amount of contact with .the cleaning medium. One disadvantage of the second mentioned method of cleaning is that the cleaning medium cannot be agitated to a great enough extent for the entire amount of cleaning medium in the box to come in contact with the metal so that a large portion of the cleaning medium does not come into use. Another disadvantage in this system of cleaning is that the speed of travel through the system must also be relatively slow.V

The principal object of my invention is to improve upon these prior cleaning methods by providing a continuous high speed cleaning apparatus of a novel, simple, and eIiicient construction for uniformly cleaning all sides of continuous strips of sheet metal by means of an absorbent cleaning medium, in a faster and more eilicicnt manner than formerly.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a continuous cleaning device for cleaning strip metal by the impingement of an absorbent 454 cleaning medium thereon, and confining the medium to a restricted passageway on opposite sides of the metal and wiping the metal with this medium as it travels through this passageway, and also agitating the cleaning medium asr'it 0 passes through this passageway so` as to utilize the cleaning medium to its greatest advantage.

' Other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the accompanying specification u proceeds.

My invention may be more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawingsl wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of `acleaning apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, with the top cover removed;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in Figure l;

Figure is an end view of the apparatus looking at the entering end thereof, with certain parts broken away and shown in section;

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus taken substantially along line l-.I of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an `enlarged detail view showing .certain details of arrangement of the apparatus and the drive to the whisking brushes;

,Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through the conveying rolls at the entering end of the apparatus;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 1 1 of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional" view taken through the whisking brushes; and

Figure 9 is an enlarged transverse sectional l view taken throughthe bufng rolls.

With. reference now in particular to the details of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, a frame generally indicated .by reference character I0 is provided which, as herein shown, is mounted on spaced apart I beams Il, II which may rest on a suitable foundation. Said frame forms an enclosure and support for the cleaning apparatus, which includes a pair of conveying rolls I2, I2 disposed at the entering end of said frame, which serve to start and convcy the strip metal which it is desired to clean through the system. A nozzle I3 is disposed in advance of and directed away from said conveyl ing rollsV and arranged to direct an absorbent cleaning-medium on the upper side of the metal in the direction of travel thereof. Said cleaning medium may be any absorbent cleaning material such as, sawdust, rye or bran middlings, or any other type of absorbent cleaning medium which will absorb oil, grease, or other foreign materials from the metal. A nozzle Il similar to the nozzle I3 is disposed directly beneath said nozzle and adapted to direct an absorbent cleaning medium on the lower side of the metal in the direction of travel thereof. A pair of spaced apart conveying belts I5, I5 are arranged one above the other in advance of the nozzles I3 and I I. Said conveyer belts extend longitudinally of the frame III and are spaced so as to form a passageway I6 for conveying the absorbent cleaning medium therethrough at a higher rate of speed than the speed of travel of the strip metal, in contact with the metal, to cause said cleaning medium to be in a continuous state of agitation as it passes through this passageway and to uniformly wipe the upper and lower surfaces of the metal with said cleaning medium. A. sweeping brush I1 is disposed at the discharge end of said conveying belts for sweeping the cleaning medium from the upper surface of the metal, and a pair of whisking brushes I8, I8 are disposed in advance of said sweeping brush to whisk any other loose material from the top and bottom sides of the metal, which Y might remain thereon. Pressm'e nozzles I9, I9 and suction nozzles 20, 20 disposed adjacent but in advance of said pressure nozzles are disposed in advance of said whisking brushes above and below the path of the metal. These nozzles are adapted to impinge air under pressure on opposite sides of the metal for creating a turbulence and loosening any fne material therefrom which might remain thereon after the whisking operation. This material is taken away by means of said suction nozzles. Buing rolls 2|, 2| are arranged in advance of said suction nozzles for buing the metal, and conveying rolls 22, 22 are provided at the discharge end of said frame to discharge the metal from the system. Said conveying rolls, belts, whisking brushes, and bufllng rolls are all driven to rotate in the direction of travel of the metal through the system, and the details and operation thereof, together with the details and operation of the nozzles I3 and I4 and the pressure and suction nozzles I9 and 20, will be more fully described as this specification proceeds.

The conveying rolls I2, I2 are journaled in the frame I so the upper roll may yieldably move with respect to the lower'roll (see Figure 6), and are driven from va motor 23 herein shown as being directly connected with a speed reducer 24 (see Figure 1). Said speed reducer has driving connection with a transverse shaft 25 by means of a flexible coupling 26. A suitable chain and sprocket drive, generally indicated by reference character 29, is connected between said shaft and a shaft 30 coaxial with the axis of rotation of the lower conveying roll. Said lower conveying roll is driven from the shaft 30 through a friction drive connection generally indicated by reference character 3|. Said friction drive connection will not herein be described in detail since it is no portion of my present invention. The upper and lower conveying rolls are operatively connected together by means of a pair of meshing spur gears 28, 28 (see Figure 6).

The conveyer belts |5, I are driven from the motor 23 through the transverse shaft 25 at a higher speed than the speed of travel of the metal through the system. 'I'he lower conveyer belt I5 is trained around a drive pulley 211 on the transverse shaft 25 and around an idler pulley 32 on a transverse shaft 33 (see Figure 4). Suitable take-up mechanismengaging the shaft 33, and generally indicated by reference character 34, is provided for permitting slack on this belt to be taken up.

The upper conveying belt I5 is trained around a drive pulley 35 at one of its ends and around an idler pulley 36 at its opposite end. The drive .pulley 35 is driven from the transverse shaft 25 by means of a pair of meshing spur gears 3 1, 31

(see Figure '1), one of which gears is keyed to the shaft 25 and the other of which gears is keyed to a shaft 38 on which the drive pulley 3l is mounted. A suitable take-up, generally indicated by reference character 39, is provided for taking `up slack on the upper belt.

Means are provided for reinforcing the belts on opposite sides of the passageway I6 to confine said passageway to certain restricted limits and permit said belts to cause the cleaning medium to be in a continuous state of agitation as it passes through this passageway and to cause said cleaning medium to uniformly wipe the top and bottom surfaces of the strip metal as the metal travels through said passageway at a slower'rate of speed than the speed of travel of said belts. Said means comprises reinforcing members 40, 4|! engaging the inner runs of said belts on opposite sides of the passageway I6.

' Said reinforcing members are herein preferably shown as being made from wood and are each mounted on a pair of spaced transversely extending support members 4|, 4| which are mounted at their ends in the frame I0 in a. suitable mannen The sweeping brush |1 is mounted in the frame y I0 in advance of the conveying belts I5, I5 on a member 42 depending from an upper portion of said frame (see Figure 4). Said sweeping brush may be constructed from a relatively sti hair, fiber, or wire, or any other suitable material,

and is adapted to sweep the absorbent cleaning material from the upper surface of the metalv so it will drop into a hopper like bottom 43 of the frame I0 Where it may be recirculated through -the system in a manner which will hereinafter more clearly appear this proceeds.

The whisking brushes I8, I8, spaced in advance of the sweeping brush I1, are mounted on shafts 44, 44 which are journaled in the frame I0 adjacent their ends for yieldable movement towards or from each other (see Figure 8). Said whisking brushes may be of an ordinary bristle construction and are driven at a higher peripheral speed than the speed of travel of the metal through the system by a motor mounted on the upper side of the frame III (see Figure 5) and generally indicated by reference character 45. Said motor has driving connection with the lower shaft 44 through a suitable V belt drive of an ordinary construction and generally indicated by reference character. 46. Said shafts are operatively connected together by means of a pair of meshing spur gears 41, 41.

as specification The bufiing rolls 2|, 2| may be made from felt' or any other suitable bufng material and are likewise mounted in the frame I0 for yieldable movement towards or from each other on parallel spaced shafts 48, 48. The lower shaft 48 is driven from the motor 23 through a chain and sprocket drive generally .indicated by reference character 49 connected between said shaft and the transverse shaft 25 (see Figures 1 and 7). Said builing-rolls are operatively connected together by means of a pair of meshing spur gears 50, 50 in a usual manner.

The upper conveying roll 22 at the discharge end of the frame I0 is mounted in said frame for yieldable and adjustable movement with respect to the lower roll. Said rolls are driven from the shaft 48 of the lower builing roll 2| by means of a chain and sprocket drive generally indicated by reference character 5|.

Referring now in particular to certain other 'llid t suitable motor 66 in the usual manner.

novel features of my invention and the means for impinging an absorbent cleaning medium on the upper and lower sides of the metal as it enters the cleaning system, and permitting the conveyer belts I5, I5 to wipe the metal with this cleaning medium, the hopper like bottom 43 of the frame I forms a storage reservoir for the absorbent cleaning medium which has before been described as being a material such as sawdust, bran middlings, etc. The lowermost central portion of said hopper like bottom forms a conduit 52 which leads to an intake end of a blower generally indicated by reference character 53 (see Figures l and 3). Said blower is no part of my invention and is of `an ordinary construction so will not herein be shown or described in detail. A motor 54 is provided to drive said blower in a usual manner. A conduit 55 leads upwardly from said blower and thence leads inwardly to the longitudinal center of the apparatus. It then extends downwardly and has connection with the discharge nozzle I3. The width of said discharge nozzle is herein shown as being of substantially the same width as the average piece of metal which is adapted to pass through the system and the discharge end of said nozzle is directed towards the passageway I6 (see Figure 4).

Another conduit 56, similar to the conduit 55, leads downwardly from the blower 53 and thence inwardly towards the longitudinal center of the frame III and then upwardly to the nozzle I4. The discharge end of said nozzle is likewise directed towards the passageway I6.

The space between the discharge end of the nozzle I3 and the upper belt I5 is closed by means of a ap 51 yieldably engaging said belt and made from a suitable flexible material, such as rubber beltng (see Figure 4). Said flap is secured to a projection B extending from said nozzle. In a like manner the space between the lower portion of the nozzle I4 and the lower belt I5 is closed by means of a flap 59 secured to a projection 60 from said lower nozzle.

'I'he nozzles I9, I9 and 2U, 20 are directed towards the upper and lower sides of the metal and the width of said nozzles is herein shown as being substantially the width of the average piece of metal which is adapted to pass through the system. Air under pressure is supplied to the upper and lower pressure nozzles I9, I9 bymeans of a suitable blower 6I herein shown as being a centrifugal fan driven from a motor 62. A conduit 63 leads from said fan tothe upper nozzle I9. A conduit 64 leads from the conduit 63 to the lower nozzle I 9. Air under pressure may thus be impinged on opposite sides of the metal, to create a turbulence and stir up the absorbent cleaning material which might remain on the metal after the whisking operation, so that this material may be picked up by the vacuum or suction nozzles 2U, 20.

Suction is maintained in the suction nozzles 20, 20 by means of a suction Ian 65 driven by a Said suction fan is of an ordinary construction and is no portion of my present invention so will not herein be shown or described -in detail. A conduit 6l connects said suction fan with the upper suction nozzle 20 and a similar conduit (not shown) is provided to connect said fan with the lower suction nozzle. Said suction fan discharges into a cyclone 69 which in turn may discharge the line material picked up by said suction nozzles as waste into a suitable receptacle, the cleaning material taken from the metal at this stage being too neto be used over again for cleaning purposes.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a strip of sheet metal may be taken into the apparatus and conveyed therethrough by the conveying rolls I2, I2, and that as it passes the nozzles I3 and I4 an absorbent cleaning medium directed towards the passageway I6 formed between the conveyer belts I5, I5 is impinged on its upper and lower sides, which passageway is restricted to cause said conveyer belts (traveling at a greater rate of speed than the speed of travel of the metal) to wipe the top and bottom surfaces of the metal with the cleaning medium and at the same time `agitate said cleaning medium so that a greater part of it comes in contact with the metal. The loose cleaning material is then swept from the upper side of the metal into the hopper 43 by the sweeping brush I1, the material on the lower side of the metal falling directly into the hopper 43. The whisking rolls I8, I8 then whisk any other cleaning material from the metal, and any cleaning material which has not been whisked from the metal by said whisking rolls is loosened from the metal by the pressure nozzles I9, I9 and picked up by the vacuum nozzles 2U, 2D. The metal is then buled by the bufling rolls 2|, 2| and conveyed away from the system by the conveying rolls 22, 22.

It may also be seen that since the metal and cleaning medium are conned to a narrow moving passageway, moving at a higher rate of speed than the speed of travel of the metal, that the metal is positively wiped with the cleaning medium, and that the medium remains in Contact with the metal for a greater portion of its travel through the system, and thus enables the speed of cleaning to be increased over former cleaning systems together with insuring that all sides of the metal are uniformly cleaned.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various partsmay be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

In an apparatus for cleaning continuous strips of metal, two continuous belts spaced so as to form a passageway therebetween to permit the metal to pass therethrough in a direction extending lengthwise of said belts, means for driving `said belts at a different speed than the speed of the metal, and means disposed at the entering end of said passageway for subjecting opposite sides of the metal to an absorbent cleaning medium and permitting said cleaning medium to be carried through the passageway formed between said belts.

FRANK J WOOD. 

